Hamas warns of ‘dire consequences’ if Israeli settlers defile al-Aqsa during Jewish festival

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has warned the Israeli regime of dire consequences if extremist Israeli settlers desecrate the holy al-Aqsa Mosque compound during an upcoming Jewish festival.

In a statement released on Monday, Hamas said there would be dire consequences if extremist Jewish groups dared to desecrate the holy site during their upcoming Purim festival holiday this week.  

The extremist settlers have already declared their intent to defile the al-Aqsa Mosque on March 16 and 17 to mark the Jewish occasion under the full protection of Israeli forces.

The statement described the provocative calls for celebrating the event at the holy mosque as “a violation of all the heavenly religions and norms” and “a direct provocation to the Palestinian people and the Muslim nation.”

Hamas spokesman Mohamed Hamada also held the Israeli regime fully accountable for any repercussions if it provided protection for settler break-ins at the holy compound.

The spokesman urged the Palestinian masses to organize and stage massive rallies and marches towards the mosque to protect it against settler desecration.

Hamas urges for ‘days of anger’ protests to protect al-Aqsa if settlers do aggressive practices

Hamas calls for ‘day of anger’ protests to protect the al-Aqsa Mosque if settlers do aggressive practices against the holy site.

Separately, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the head of the Higher Islamic Council in al-Quds, urged all the Muslim worshipers who have access to the mosque in general and the Palestinian inhabitants of al-Quds in particular to frequent the holy site and increase their presence in its courtyards to prevent such settler break-ins.

Sabri denounced settler groups for inciting their followers to perform rituals and celebrations at the compound during the coming days, stressing that such calls provoke the Muslim nation that rejects any violation of the mosque’s sanctity.

The senior cleric accused the Israeli regime of sponsoring settler break-ins at the mosque and held it fully responsible if settlers defiled the sacred Islamic site during the Purim festival.

Hardline Israeli legislators and extremist settlers regularly storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city, a provocative move that infuriates Palestinians. Such mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in al-Quds.

Prominent cleric warns against incursions by Israeli settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque

The Grand Mufti of al-Quds has warned against potential desecration of the al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers in the Old City.

Last October, an Israeli court upheld a ban on Jewish prayers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound, after an earlier decision by a lower court stirred outrage among various Palestinians and across the Muslim world.

Back in May 2021, frequent acts of violence against Palestinian worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque led to an 11-day war between Palestinian resistance groups in the besieged Gaza Strip and the Israeli regime, during which the regime killed at least 260 Palestinians, including 66 children.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Jewish visitation of al-Aqsa is permitted, but non-Muslim worship at the compound is prohibited according to an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem al-Quds in 1967.

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